Dells Current Offerings and the Identification of New Opportunities

IT is an integral part of the business at Dell such that it is almost impossible for the organisation to survive without it. Basically, IT is concerned with the field that deals with using computers to convert, process as well as protect information (About.com). On the other hand, information systems (IS) can be described as the way through which people collect, process as well as store information through the use of different computer technologies (Haag, Cummings amp. Dawkins 2000). New technology has also impacted on the way businesses operate and the internet, in particular, has revolutionised the way people conduct business. Essentially, the role of business is to serve its customers profitably and such kind of scenario can be achieved if the organisation has the right information at a particular given time which is possible through the use of appropriate information technology (Haag, Cummings amp. Dawkins 2000). This strategy has allowed Dell to base its current competitive efforts on its strengths while using IT to innovate. In as far as the viability of the organisation is concerned, it is imperative for that particular organisation to scan the competitive environment so as to be better positioned to gain a competitive advantage. There are different techniques that can be used to analyse an organisation’s competitive position from an IS perspective. One method of exploring your organisation’s competitive environment is Porter’s competitive model (Robins 1997). In this case, the five forces in this model will be used to analyse Dell’s competitive environment.